Machine for splitting mica.



` B. WALGHNBR. MACHINE FOR SPLITTING MICA.

APPLICATION FILED FB. 21,

'Patented oct. 13,1908.

-2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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B. WALCHNER.

MACHINE PoRl SPLITTING Mm.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.21, 1908. n

Patented ocn.13,19o8.

2 SHEETS-sinn 2.

nal bar 7:2. The, shanksof thev knives are' fulcrumed Ato the table b, while the sharp front-ends or edges of the'knives ai'e made with a curve inclined towards'the longitudinal axes ofthe knives so as to'be moved quickly through the ends of the blocks 'when' the table is moved forward and brings the edges of the .knives towards the blocks' from the driving shaft S1 by means of an` eccentric cX and a connecting rod i f strapped' thereto, thev opposite end of the connectingrod being pivoted to the rear-end of-the ta- 'ble b.- The-driving shaft S1 receives rotary motion from an `electric motor or other power-transmission. Thel reciprocating niotion of the table in connection with the oscillating motion of the splitting knives produces at each forward motion of the table the splitting oifof the uppermost layers or laminae of the mica-blocks m which are supported on brackets g attached to the supporting frame of the machine. The blocks of mica are first trimmed. to the proper 'shape' and then placed in position on the 'brackets g and held thereon by followers g1 each of which is provided with a stein g2 guided in acylindrical casing g3 thaft'is vattached by brackets to the supporting frame ofthemachine, said stem being acted upon by a helical spring g4 .which is interposed between an interior shoulder in the'upper portion of the casing and a transverse pin 'gf on the-stem! g2, as shown in Fig. l.

Above each follower g1 are arranged at nach side of its stein g2 antifriction-rollers 97 which are engaged by the forked end of a lever L which is fulcruined to ears of an upright standard h1 that is 'attached to 4the y table b, and which can be adjusted to-dien' ent inclinations by means of a thumb-'screw h2 which passes through a lug h3 at the rearend-of the'forked lever and engages a lug It? on Vthe upper rear-.part of the standard h1. During the forward motion oftheta'- ble, the inclined lever h moves forward witli it, and engages by itsforked endhth'e antifrictionl-rollers .at both sidesof4 vthe-"stein 9" so as to llift the follower' g2' awayfrom vits; t--wheii-.eacl'r blockf of mica at the moin knife is quickly passing- )La edge of the `upper portie` fthef'block 'of mica, asshown in Fi'sgj, 45;

Immediately above each'splittin .knife 7c .QS .the inner .fis -arranged the nozzle 'al oflan inc ined airsupply pipe n, whiclii'is supported on the table b and reciprocated therewith. In the' upper part of the air supply-pipe n is arranged a stopcock n2 which is opened or closed by a crank-arm An, the upper end .of lwhich is connected by a pivot-rod n* with a stationary ear n on the supporting frame of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1,'said -stopcock being connected by a fiexible hose n with a blower or other source of supply of air under pressure. Ateachv forward motion ofthe table I) and 4 simultaneously with the splitting of the upper' edge of the block of mica by the oscillating knife, the air-supply pipe is opened so' that a blast of 'air is passed under the sheet as the sheet lis split. off -at its inner edge by the knife, whereby lthe remaining portion of the sheet or lamina is lifted of separated bodily from thev block and then blown off by the airblast and delivered into a suitable receptacle (not shown) near the mica-block simultaneously with the release' of the follower from the same. The block of mica is held in position on the bracket .g against the action of the splitting -knifeby a clamping plate p which is applied to the block' in connection with a clamping lever p1 so as to be prevented from shifting on the bracket, as shown in Figs. 1- and 3.

The machine can be arranged with one splitting knife or with a plurality Vof splitting knives each of which is operated in connection with an individual. air-sumiily and forked lever for .lifting the follower of the mica-block and permit the splitting off vand lifting of Ia plurality of sheets from a corresponding-number of mica-blocks and then blowing them a\ vay from the remaining portions of the'bloeks.

During the return of the table Z) the stopcock of the air-supplv-pipe is automatically closed andthe air-blast interrupted, as shown in Fig.- 1; Fig. 2 showing the open position,

ready for splitting off and blowing away a sheet of mica. At each rotation of the driving shaft S a forward and backward motion is imparted to the table on which the splitting knives, air'vnozzles and forked levers for lifting the followers are supported. SimultaneouslywithV the forward and backwardmotion"of the table, the pawl and vratchet-mechanism' is operated by which the motion-transmitting mechanism of the feedscrews'and ythe''lowering vof the table for the vthickness ofo'nesheet, so that a large numberof Sheets' 0f mica can'be separated from theirblocks ina given time in a regular an d effective' manner; i M ,Having ,thus described my invention, I claim sas newand desire to secure by Letters Patent; l

' 1. In a machine for splitting inica, the combination of a reciprocating table, a splitting knife fulcrumed to, said table, means for -v impartinglaterally oscillating motion to said a nozzle .adjacent vto the' knifeLmeans forl means for releasing the clamping device` simultaneously with the ,splitting action..v of the knife. y y

2. In ajmachine for splitting mica, the

combination ofa reciprocating feedtable, a

splittingjknife fulcrumed to.' said' table,

means for oscillating said splitting knife at.

the end ofthe'forward-motion of the table,

supplying. a current of air under pressure througlirthe nozzle during the oscillation of the knife, means for supporting a block; of

mica in line withvthe splitting knife, andv means for lowering the feedtable after each actuation of the knifeand' a'iieblast. l'.

3. In a machine for splitting mica, the combination of a horizontally-reciprocating feed-table, a splitting knife fulcrumed to the saine, means for oscillating said knife at the end of the forward movement ofthe feedtable, a nozzle located adjacent to they edgev of said knife, means for supplying a current of air under pressure to said nozzle simultaneously with 'the splitting action of the knife,`means for supporting avblock of mica in line with said knife, a spring-actuated follower for holding said block of mica in' position, anda spring-actuated lever adapted to engage the stem ofthe follower formoving it awayfrom the mica blocksimulta neously with the splitting action ofthe knife and the actionof the air-blastso as .to permit the blowing off `of the 'layer' or lamina split off from the block of mica.

4.. In a machine for splitting mica, the combinationof a horizo tal feed-table, means for reciprocating thesa e, a splitting knife' fulcrumed to Said table, means for impartingoseillation motion `\;to` said` vsplitting-knife` whenthe'salme arrives at the end of its forward motion, an .air-supply'nozzle' located adjacentto tlieedgeof tlieknife, *means for supplyinga current of air under pressure to lsaid nozzle during the splitting action of the knife, means for supporting a block of mic-a in line with the splitting knife, a spring-actuated follower for holding the block in position, means for releasing the follower from the mica block for permitting the blowing 0H of the sheet or lamina split'55 off after each actuation of the splitting knife and air-supply ymechanism, and means for intermittently lowering the feed-table with the knife, nozzle and follower-releasing mechanism after a sheet or lamina of mica v has been split and blown of.

5. In a machine' for splitting mica, the

combination of a reciprocating feed-table, 'a splitting knife fulcrumed thereto, means for oscillating the splitting'knife at the end of 65 each forward motion `of the table', means lfor 'supporting a blockof -mica in line withthe ife, a spring-actuated follower for holding the block of mica in position, and a forked lever engaging. the stem of the follower for releasing the block during the splitting ac`- tion of the knife.

6. In a machine for splitting mica, the i combination of a reciprocating feedftable,a

splitting knife fulcrumedthereto, means for l oscillating the splitting knifeat the end of the forward motion of the table, means for supporting a block of mica in line with the knife, a spring-actuated followerfor hold'- ing the block, a forked lever adapted for releasing-the follower from the block of mica,-

an air-supply nozzle, and means for supplying an-.air-blast v.through said nozzle simultaneously with the splitting 0H of a sheet or lamina lof mica for' blowingfiti away froinftlie 85 block'. j In testimony,tliat I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presencel of two subscribing witnesses.

' BERNHARD waterman.

Witnesses i i 1 `PAUL Gonrni.,

HENRY J. Snnninn. 

